Tim Cook Opposed Samsung Lawsuits, Report Claims

According to a new report, Cook was worried that fighting against Samsung would eliminate an important parts supplier. Samsung was providing Apple with nearly $8 billion in iPad and iPhone parts annually at the height of their partnership.

Speaking to Reuters, sources close to Tim Cook say he was less concerned with Apple’s intellectual property rights than former leader Steve Jobs.

Apple ultimately won a $1 billion settlement against Samsung, but the tech adversary ultimately learned a lot about mobile phone production from Apple. Samsung ultimately turned that know-how into a lucrative multi-billion dollar Google Android-based business.

Apple is now spending millions of dollars in what some analysts are calling a patent stalemate in which both company’s continue to raise new issues between their competition and partnership.

In some cases, Apple’s attempts at suing Samsung led to embarrassment. In the UK, Apple lost a patent design case and was forced to publish apologies to Samsung via its own website and through several nationally recognized newspapers.

“Is the war going to eventually reach a stalemate, and fizzle out? Reuters seems to think so, suggesting that the divergent strategies and partnerships between the companies makes calm cooperation a better tactic than fierce fighting with armies of lawyers.”

Do you think Apple and Samsung will ultimately work together to create better smartphones and tablets, or has their ongoing fight soured relationships too much?